#### 18.6.2 Specifying href link syntax for HTML Help

Links in HTML Help can be of two forms: generic HTML href links for jumps within a single CHM file, or href links with a special syntax that includes the target.chm name for jumps to locations in other CHM files. If you are using framesets in HTML Help, target content might be displayed differently for these two forms of links.

By default, DITA2Go uses both forms for HTML Help:

- generic HTML links for jumps within the CHM file you are generating
- special syntax for jumps to other CHM files.

For links to non-CHM files, see §18.6.3 Linking to external files from compiled HTML Help.

If your configuration file lists other CHM files in section [ChmFiles], jumps to those files use the special syntax that includes the .chm name. Unless you specify otherwise, jumps within the default CHM file are of the generic form. (If you are using multiple CHM files, this file is the DefaultChmFile listed in section [MSHtmlHelpOptions]; see §18.14.1 Interlinking multiple CHM files.)

Force all links to use special syntax

To force all links to use the special syntax that includes the .chm name:

    [MSHtmlHelpOptions]
    ; UseChmInLinks = No (default, for same .chm or for uncompiled help,
    ;  where normal links are needed)
    ;  or Yes (always use ChmFormat at start of links)
    UseChmInLinks=Yes

Use generic form for single .chm, uncompiled Help

When UseChmInLinks=No (the default), links to destinations within the default CHM file are of the generic HTML href form; use this setting to produce either of the following:

- a single CHM file that does not include href links to other CHM files
- uncompiled HTML Help that has no CHM file, and that works in a Web browser.

Use special syntax for links to other CHM files

When UseChmInLinks=Yes, by default all links are of the form:

    <a href="mk:@MSITStore:Helpfile.chm::/topicfile.htm#anchor">

For example:

    <a href="mk:@MSITStore:dita2go.chm::/z12x1391027.htm#Rz12x18218">

Specify format for special syntax

To specify a format for the start of the link:

    [MSHtmlHelpOptions]
    ; ChmFormat = format to use when UseChmInLinks is set, where
    ;  the first %s is the chm name and the second %s is the filename
    ChmFormat=mk:@MSITStore:%s.chm::/%s

For example, if all users of your compiled HTML Help system will be running Internet Explorer 4.0 or a later version, you can direct DITA2Go to use the following form for all links instead of the default special syntax:

    [MSHtmlHelpOptions]
    UseChmInLinks=Yes
    ChmFormat=ms-its:%s.chm::/%s

See HTML Help Workshop for more information.

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Parent Topic: 18.6 Creating links and hypertext jumps in HTML Help

Sibling Topics:

18.6.1 Creating hypertext jumps to other CHM files

18.6.3 Linking to external files from compiled HTML Help